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10.3.16

I can't believe Spring is just around the corner! It seems like I was just putting away the Christmas decorations yesterday (don't worry, I wasn't). But, here we are anyway.

So, to celebrate the upcoming season and arrival of Peter Cottontail, I did a little Spring decorating. Nothing major, but enough to brighten up our place and add a little 'spring' to my step (groan, did I really just go there?) Of course I did.

In the kitchen I added some cheer behind the sink in the form of this awesome free printable and a little Spring cyclamen.

Come on, you know you are singing it now... #sugarhillgang

Look at my little cyclamen bud about to open up. So cute.

And no, I did not match my counter spray and dish soap to my Spring décor... but how awesome is it that they match!? It's the little things people.

In the family room (off the kitchen) the fireplace mantel is teeny tiny (ahem, non existent). BUT, I still added a bit of Easter to it.

I displayed a little ceramic bunny and grabbed a light pink candle from my stash. To Easterfy it further I added some pom pom fringe that I had left over from my Christmas Craft Night candle holder craft. Don't they look like little fluffy bunny tails?

I love these picture frames with the clips. I got them at Real Canadian Superstore a few years ago. The front slides out and I can easily swap out the art inside. I used them in Chace's room at our last house but I've yet to give his room any real personality (Mom guilt - it's on "the list") so for now they are up for grabs and have come in handy on my thin mantels.

Beside the bunny print I have a 'sister' candle that Tanya gave me.

And, looking up I have some more pom pom trim which I strung up as a whimsical banner. Little bunny tails everywhere!

In the living room we have another fireplace. This one has a larger mantel so I have a bit more flexibility here.

I went pretty simple here too and just used what I had.

On the left I used some white 'bark' vases and paired them with a pretty green glass vase/pot.

A pretty (looking and smelling) candle sits beside this print. And I love the lid that came with. Adorable!

Last but not least is another pot/bowl. I love the subtle honey comb detailing on this one.

Another area that got a bit of Easter love is one of the end tables in the living room. I simply added some faux eggs to a glass vase and put them beside my gold tree bark lamp. Because every tree bark lamp needs a vase of fake eggs (obvs).

Back in January I shared how I decorate in the "off season" using our entry as an example. The entry table got a little bowl/platter of these eggs too!

Hippity Hoppin', Easter's on its way! Anyone else infused a little Spring or Easter at their place?

3.3.16

The basement of our house is multifunctional. Part of it is Chef Kev's media room (or "man cave" as some may say... but not me, because that term kind of annoys me) and the other part is a one bedroom (currently vacant) income suite. And ALL of it was UGLY.

For reals. Industrial blue/grey carpet, painted brown trim and doors (nope, not wood but deliberately painted milk chocolate brown trim and doors). And yes, it was oil based. And the cherry on top? Well, not a cherry but rather mustard. Yes, mustard yellow walls to go with the blue carpet and milk chocolate trim and doors.

Yum.

It was all kinds of special. The top two floors of our house had been nicely updated by past owners but heading down the basement was like entering a different dimension. We are going to renovate the basement down the road and will update the carpet at that time so for now it stays. However, milk chocolate had to become white chocolate and mustard had to become grey. It was an order (by me).

But enough about that... you want before and afters right? I'll share the space leading down to Chef Kev's non-man-cave but save the suite paint for another post.

Oh, and due to the MONSTROSITY of this job (four coats on all the trim and doors anyone?), we hired it out. Thank goodness for Uncles who paint #unclechrisforthewin! #andhisfriendmike

Opening the door to head to the basement used to look like this (not too ugly yet but just you wait)...

(Note, evidence of six year old "decorating" for Hallowe'en). Yes, I've been eyeing this job since the Fall.

Anyway, Hallowe'en is long gone and now it looks like this...

Rounding that corner you are looking down the stairs. Before you would see the random wooden shelves (do those not look like they should be in a garage or tool shed?) left by a past owner...

Well, wooden bunk beds no more... Now she looks like this:

Ignore the missing baseboards. We have some ready to go, just waiting on a tool needed for the job. The past owner hacked up the baseboards to install the ill fitting bunk beds shelves. Thanks for that.

A quick turn around to look back up the stairs looked like this before:

(Again with the Hallowe'en decorations. On. each. stair). Adorable.

And now:

Not drastic but again, just wait...

After the shelves were removed, the bottom of the stairs used to look like this:

(See, the real ugly is starting).

But now it looks like this:

Turning around (ah, the shelves are back) You used to see this:

But now you see this:

A few steps further you used to be greeted by this...

but now...

That door leads to the hallway that connects our side with the suite side. And yes, we updated the hardware too! I'll share details about that in a future post.

Okay, so now we are almost in Chef Kev's room. I shared my vision plan here on how we were going to update this space and you may recall it involved both a light and dark charcoal paint. The charcoal looks great in person but is reading a bit green in the photos below (sorry about that). The lights (which we are also going to replace) are really yellow so with a lack of natural light made it hard to get an accurate photo of the exact shade.

Oh, notice the brown venetian shades too? Evvverywherrrre down here.... But gone now... We have some white ones that are going to be installed this weekend.

The other side of the room before:

And now:

And one more thing to note, looking towards the hall before you will see we had three doors in about 6 square feet (the one you can't see is the one I showed earlier which leads to the hall between our side and the suite). THREE. Weird.

So, now we have one (the one you can't see from this angle but I promise it's there). Because, ain't nobody got time for three doors!

So, here we are! Still a lot to do but SO much fresher and brighter. And the carpet doesn't even look half bad now since it's paired with colours that MAKE SENSE! Sorry, to yell, just passionate that milk chocolate and mustard never ever need to meet again.

1.3.16

Here are the desktop calendars that caught my eye this month. To download, click on the link below each image and follow the prompts on the artist's blog. A lot also have smart phone versions too so if that's your 'thang' then go and get 'em.